[s-cars] NAC - Dream Garage Ceiling and Wall material recommendation

[Walsh, Edward]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the thoughts.  I have actually already installed this opener
and have been using it for about 2 months.  Sorry I wasn't clear about
that.  While I was researching the opener, which I thought was prudent
due to its unprecedented design; I came across some very passionate
complaints on sites like eopinions, from frustrated owners.  All
mentioned terrible customer service, burnt circuit boards, difficult
installation, etc.

Despite the warnings, I went ahead with it, albeit with eyes wide open.
>From my previous research, I had learned that WD unofficially recommends
a dedicated power outlet that was as far upstream as possible from heavy
loads (compressors, grinders, beer fridge, plant lights) so as to
minimize RF noise and load variance.  So I wired an outlet from the main
circuit breaker.  The install was quite easy (I had already installed 3
9100 Wayne Dalton doors, two 9 footers on the existing garage and one 12
footer on the new garage), so I was able to buy the opener that was
designed for the WD door, not the Idrive for the generic torsion beam
sprung door (which I heard was much more difficult).  I just took my
time and checked over everything 2x.  I would say total time was 4
hours... I could do it again in 30 minutes (exclusive of any re-wiring).

So far, it has been flawless.  I do agree that there is a perceptible
delay from the time the button is pushed to when the door begins to
open, but it gives me time to marvel at the technology.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Eiche [mailto:seiche at shadetreesoftware.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 2:05 PM
To: Walsh, Edward; s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: RE: [s-cars] NAC - Dream Garage Ceiling and Wall material
recommendation

Ed,
I put in one of these openers a few weeks ago after the motor in my 17
year old Sears opener expired.  I have a few likes and dislikes about
it.

First the good.  Very nice design.  It is quiet, fast and very compact.
It really opens up the garage when you don't have an opener hanging in
the middle of the ceiling.  I have a 10' ceiling in the garage, and a
normal opener hangs fairly low.

Now the bad.  Make sure that you have an outlet installed near the
opener.  I didn't have one there, so I had to install a new box.  Not a
big deal, but it added a couple of hours to the job as I had to cut dry
access holes, run the wire, install a new outlet and patch everything
up.  They sell an "extension kit" for it, but it really wouldn't work in
my garage because of a support beam for the second floor that runs
across the ceiling.  Not to mention it would look ugly, IMO.  Next, the
light supplied works off of infrared signals.  You basically plug the
light in and an infrared LED on the opener signals the light to turn on
and off.  Nice idea. I plugged mine in where the original opener was
plugged in in the middle of the ceiling.  Nice location, but that same
beam that blocked the path of the wiring also blocks the IR detector, so
the light doesn't work well.  This is an annoyance that I have yet to
fix.  All of the remotes, including the wall switches are wireless.  It
looks very clean, but there is an annoying delay between pushing the
button and the opener operating.   I like to just hit the button and go,
but with this you have to wait to make sure that it actually operates.
Lastly Wayne Dalton's customer support is HORRIBLE.  Probably the worst
that I have ever experienced.  About two weeks after installation,  I
had an issue where the opener basically "locked up".  It would just hum
and beep.  After three phone calls over three days with waits averaging
1/2 hour (seriously) I finally got to speak with someone in customer
service at Wayne Dalton.  I spent an hour on the phone as the nice woman
read a troubleshooting script (check door balance, reset the unit, check
sensors, etc.).  None of this worked, so she put in a request with
warranty dept. to see if they could send me out a new control board.
She said it would take them a few days to approve or deny the request to
send out the board, then it could take a week or more to get the part.
Huh?  I said thanks, hung up the phone and then went to the garage with
the intent of removing the unit and returning it for refund or exchange
from Lowes (place of purchase).  While taking it apart, I decide to play
with some of the "Don't touch these factory preset adjustments" and
found that a very slight adjustment on the park position (not mentioned
in the nice woman's troubleshooting script) got everything working
properly (yes, I checked that all of the safety features were
unaffected).  So I kept the opener.   Two weeks later a box with new
electronics arrived in the mail with a very poor copy of installation
instructions.  There is no way I would have waited that long without an
opener.  Heck, I had the new opener within an hour of the motor burning
up on my old opener. At least now I have spares...

Anyway... My recommendation is to have the opener professionally
installed.  Not that it is difficult or that someone else will do a
better job than you, but because they will have to warranty it.  That
way you won't have to deal with Wayne Dalton if you have problems.  Do
the prep work though, like making sure that you have an outlet within 6'
or so of the opener.  

Would I get it again?  Probably, because I don't know of another company
that makes a comparable design.  I really like the design, speed and
quiet operation.  Now that I have spare parts and know how everything
works on the opener, I shouldn't have to deal with the manufacturer
anymore.  I hope.

HTH!

Steve



Oops, this is the garage door opener:

http://www.waynedalton.com/idrive_TorqueMaster.asp

And the framing has already been completed (pine 2x4 walls and pine 2x10
ceiling joists)






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